Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study Chapter 1, Purpose and Need

Tier 1 Service Level EIS 1-1 October 2012

CHAPTER 1

PURPOSE AND NEED

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), in conjunction with the Federal Railroad

Administration (FRA), is evaluating alternatives for the expansion of intercity passenger rail 

service from Chicago, Illinois, through Iowa, to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska 

(the Project). Intercity passenger rail service provides “connectivity between major urban 

centers” (MWRRI, September 2004). Iowa DOT’s evaluation is documented in this Chicago 

to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study (the Study) Tier 1 

Service Level Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Past planning documents identified a 

“Chicago to Omaha” corridor, so for the purposes of this analysis, the corridor reference will 

remain as previously designated; however, the project name will include “Council Bluffs” in 

the title. For passenger rail projects, this Tier 1 EIS focuses on broad corridor and service 

level issues, while subsequent Tier 2 analyses will focus on the details of a specific project or 

action.

This Tier 1 EIS evaluates the No-Build Alternative and the Build Alternative as described in 

Chapter 2. This chapter describes the history of the Project, the Study Area, the purpose of

and need for the Project, decisions to be made based on this Tier 1 EIS, and other 

transportation projects in and near the Study Area.

1.1 HISTORY

The existing rail lines that are proposed to be used to provide passenger service from 

Chicago, Illinois, through Iowa, to Omaha, Nebraska, were all in place by 1871 (Colton, 

1871) and are among the oldest rail lines in the region. The railroads were initially 

constructed to carry passengers and to haul a variety of freight and have evolved into very 

busy railroads (Hudson, 2005). Most of the passenger service along these routes began in the 

1850s, 1860s, and 1870s (Young, 2005). By the 1880s, commuter rail service in Chicago had 

been developed in a hub-and-spoke1 pattern, extending 30 to 40 miles in 15 different 

directions from downtown Chicago (Conzen, 2005). This hub-and-spoke system is still 

operating today as Chicago’s Metra (Young, 2005). Intercity passenger rail service generally 

was terminated by the 1970s, when railroad passenger service declined nationally, and was 

consolidated into Amtrak (Hudson, 2005). In the Chicago metropolitan area, the section 

between Chicago and Naperville, Illinois, carries the heaviest volume of commuters 

(Hudson, 2005).

The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) was established in 1991 as part of the 

Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) (Public Law [PL] 

102-240) and its reauthorization in 1998 with the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 

Century (TEA-21) (PL 105-178). ISTEA and TEA-21 included a broader national effort to 

 

1 A hub-and–spoke passenger rail system provides transportation to a central location. From this central 

location (the hub), one can travel to various other destinations (the spokes).
Chapter 1, Purpose and Need Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study

October 2012 1-2 Tier 1 Service Level EIS

support high-speed rail investment. Nine transportation agencies across the Midwest, along 

with Amtrak, sponsored the MWRRI:

• Illinois Department of Transportation

• Indiana Department of Transportation

• Iowa Department of Transportation

• Michigan Department of Transportation

• Minnesota Department of Transportation

• Missouri Department of Transportation

• Nebraska Department of Roads

• Ohio Rail Development Commission

• Wisconsin Department of Transportation

As a result of the MWRRI and the national high-speed rail initiative, numerous corridors 

were identified and refined, with Chicago as the hub. Between 1996 and 2004, a single 

transportation plan was developed that included all of these corridors; this plan is known as 

the Midwest Regional Rail System. Meanwhile, numerous studies were completed with 

regard to bus service integration with the MWRRI; financial, economic, market, and 

transportation analysis; infrastructure and capital costs; operating costs; and institutional and 

organizational issues. These efforts culminated in 2004, when the MWRRI issued the 

Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Project Notebook (MWRRI, June 2004) and the Midwest 

Regional Rail System: A Transportation Network for the 21st Century, Executive Report

(MWRRI, September 2004).

Since 2004, efforts have progressed to develop the various corridors. In 2006, the Midwest 

Regional Rail Initiative Project Notebook, Chapter 11, Benefit Cost and Economic Analysis, 

was updated to reflect economic conditions at that time (MWRRI, November 2006). The

nine passenger rail corridors in the Midwest Regional Rail System are (see Figure 1-1):

• Chicago to Detroit/Grand Rapids/Port Huron, Michigan

• Chicago to Cleveland, Ohio

• Chicago to Cincinnati, Ohio

• Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois

• Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri

• St. Louis, Missouri, to Kansas City, Missouri

• Chicago to Quincy, Illinois

• Chicago to Omaha, Nebraska

• Chicago to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and to St. Paul, Minnesota/Green Bay, 

Wisconsin

In 2009 and 2010, Iowa DOT and Illinois DOT, in conjunction with FRA, evaluated 

alternatives for the corridor extending from Chicago Union Station to Iowa City, Iowa, with 

the completion of the Chicago to Iowa City Intercity Passenger Rail Service Tier 1 Service 

Level Environmental Assessment. On October 28, 2010, FRA awarded Iowa DOT and 

Illinois DOT a grant of $230 million to proceed with the Chicago to Iowa City corridor 

Tier 2 Project Level studies and construction activities. 
La k e M ic h ig a n

I A

I L

I N

M N

N E

O H

W I 

Fort

Dodge

Sioux

City

Cedar

Falls

Iowa

City

Champaign

Danville

Carbondale

Mattoon

Bloomington

Lafayette

Kokomo

Waterloo

Muncie

Paducah

Ludington

Holland

Kalamazoo

Cadillac

Mount

Pleasant

Midland

Anchorville

Howell

Kirksville

Lima

Youngstown

Des Canton

Moines

Cedar

Rapids

Peoria

Springfield

Rockford

Chicago

Evansville

Gary

Fort

Wayne

South

Bend

Indianapolis

Kansas

City

Overland Park

Topeka

Louisville

Lexington-Fayette

Grand

Rapids Lansing

Ann

Arbor

Flint

Livonia

Warren

Minneapolis

St.

Paul

Springfield

Independence Kansas

City

St.

Louis

Lincoln

Omaha

Cincinnati

Columbus

Dayton

Toledo

Akron

Cleveland

Chatham

Windsor

Green

Bay

Madison Milwaukee

Midwest Regional Rail System

Chicago to Council Bluffs - Omaha

Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study

DATE

FIGURE

October 2012

1-1

*Indiana DOT is evaluating additional passenger rail service to South Bend and to Louisville.

**In Missouri, current restrictions limit train speeds to 79 mph.

Sources: Routes, IDOT; State/County/City Boundaries, Census/TIGER 2010; Lake, NHD

0 50 100

I

Miles

Rail Corridor*

110 mph top speed

90 mph top speed **

79 mph top speed

Feeder Bus Route
Chapter 1, Purpose and Need Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study

October 2012 1-4 Tier 1 Service Level EIS

In 2010 and 2011, additional studies were completed for the MWRRI prior to 

commencement of the Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System 

Planning Study. These studies included MWRRI corridor alternatives analysis, capital cost 

updates, operating equipment configurations and performance standards, advanced train 

control, and public outreach (MWRRI, 2011). The Chicago to Omaha corridor (the Corridor)

was included in these studies.

The MWRRI includes many high-speed (that is, 110 miles per hour [mph]) passenger rail 

corridors, but the MWRRI initially identified the service between Chicago and Omaha for 

conventional-speed (that is, 79 mph) and not high-speed service. The 2010 and 2011 studies 

expanded the analysis to include five round-trips per day to Des Moines and 4 round-trips per 

day to Omaha (MWRRI, 2011). Subsequent to these studies, Iowa DOT and FRA concluded 

that analysis for speeds up to 110 mph is warranted for the Chicago to Omaha Corridor. The 

Project includes a maximum of seven round-trips per day at maximum authorized track 

speeds of up to 110 mph between Chicago and Omaha.

As stated in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Project Notebook (MWRRI, June 2004), 

full implementation of the MWRRI would significantly improve Midwest passenger rail 

service by:

• Upgrading existing rail lines to permit frequent, reliable, high-speed passenger 

train operations

• Accommodating operation of a hub-and-spoke passenger rail system that provides 

through-service and connectivity in Chicago to locations throughout the Midwest 

region

• Introducing modern train equipment that offers improved amenities operating at 

speeds of up to 110 mph

• Providing multimodal connections and feeder bus systems to improve access to 

the rail system

• Introducing a contracted rail operation that improves efficiency, reliability, and 

on-time performance

With full implementation (estimated to occur in 2025), the Midwest Regional Rail System

would encompass approximately 3,000 route miles in the sponsor states and would attract 

approximately 13.6 million passengers annually. Approximately 90 percent of the Midwest 

region’s population would be within an hour’s ride of a Midwest Regional Rail System rail 

station and/or within 30 minutes of a Midwest Regional Rail System feeder bus station 

(MWRRI, September 2004).

On October 14, 2011, FRA agreed to a phased implementation approach for the Chicago to 

Iowa City corridor. Illinois DOT is proceeding with the Tier 2 studies and construction

activities for the portion of the corridor extending from Chicago to Quad Cities (East Moline, 

Moline, and Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa) with a terminus in 

Moline, Illinois. Iowa DOT would conduct Tier 2 studies for the portion of the corridor from 

the Quad Cities to Iowa City.
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While the Chicago to Iowa City service and Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha service may 

ultimately use the same corridor from Chicago to Iowa City for implementation, the level of 

service under consideration is different. From Chicago to Iowa City, service was evaluated 

for the Tier 1 analysis at a maximum of 5 round-trip trains per day at speeds up to 79 mph, 

while the Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha service is being evaluated for a maximum of 

7 round-trip trains per day at speeds up to 110 mph. The higher maximum speed and 

frequency of service for the Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha service would result in 

additional impacts, and, therefore, require additional study. For analysis purposes in this 

Tier 1 EIS, the passenger rail service from Chicago to the Quad Cities is assumed to be 

constructed and in operation.

1.2 STUDY AREA

The Corridor extends from Chicago Union Station, in downtown Chicago, Illinois, on the 

east to a terminal in Omaha, Nebraska, on the west. The Study Area consists of the five 

previously established passenger rail routes between Chicago and Omaha that pass through 

the states of Illinois and Iowa (Figure 1-2). The Study Area for each route is approximately 

500 miles long and 500 feet wide. In Illinois, the Study Area runs generally west from 

Chicago Union Station, the hub for the MWRRI, to the Mississippi River and, depending on 

the route, is a distance of between 150 and 250 miles. In Iowa, the Study Area runs west 

from the Mississippi River for approximately 300 miles across the entire state of Iowa to the 

Missouri River. In Nebraska, the Study Area terminates in Omaha, which is located at the 

Missouri River, the eastern border of the state. The general location for the terminal in 

Omaha will be identified as part of this Study. For each route, the counties that are traversed 

in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska are listed east to west in Table 1-1.
Lake 

Michigan

Omaha

Naperville

Moline

Iowa

Des City

Moines

Council

Bluffs

Chicago

Des Moines River

§ ̈¦90

§ ̈¦80

§ ̈¦80

§ ̈¦39

§ ̈¦35

§ ̈¦94

§ ̈¦90

§ ̈¦380

§ ̈¦72

§ ̈¦29

§ ̈¦74

§ ̈¦88

§ ̈¦80

§ ̈¦57

I o w a

I l l i n o i s

M N

N e b r a s k a

W i s c o n s i n

Missouri River

Wisconsin River

St. Clair River

Illinois River

Missouri River

Mississippi River

DATE

FIGURE

Study Area

Chicago to Council Bluffs - Omaha

Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study

October 2012

1 - 2

0 20 40

I

Miles

Route 1 (Canadian National Railway,

former Illinois Central)

Route 2

(Union Pacific Railroad,

former Chicago & 

North Western)

Route 3

(Canadian Pacific Railway

and BNSF Railway, 

former Milwaukee Road)

Route 3 Abandoned Portion

Route 4

(Iowa Interstate Railroad

and CSX Transportation,

former Rock Island)

Route 5

(BNSF Railway, former

Chicago, Burlington &

Quincy)
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Table 1-1. Counties Traversed by Routes in the Study Area

State Route 1 Route 2 Route 3 Route 4 Route 5

Illinois

Cook

DuPage

Kane

DeKalb

Boone

Winnebago

Stephenson

Jo Daviess

Cook

DuPage

Kane

DeKalb

Ogle

Lee

Whiteside

Cook

DuPage

Kane

DeKalb

Ogle

Carroll

Cook

Will

Grundy

La Salle

Bureau

Henry

Rock Island

Cook

DuPage

Kane

Kendall

DeKalb

La Salle

Bureau

Henry

Knox

Warren

Henderson

Iowa

Dubuque

Delaware

Buchanan

Black Hawk

Butler

Franklin

Hardin

Hamilton

Webster

Calhoun

Sac

Crawford

Harrison

Pottawattamie

Clinton

Cedar

Linn

Benton

Tama

Marshall

Story

Boone

Greene

Carroll

Crawford

Harrison

Pottawattamie

Jackson

Clinton

Jones

Linn

Benton

Tama

Marshall

Story

Boone

Dallas

Guthrie

Carroll

Crawford

Shelby

Harrison

Pottawattamie

Scott

Muscatine

Cedar

Johnson

Iowa

Poweshiek

Jasper

Polk

Dallas

Madison

Guthrie

Adair

Cass

Pottawattamie

Des Moines

Henry

Jefferson

Wapello

Monroe

Lucas

Clarke

Union

Adams

Montgomery

Mills

Pottawattamie

Nebraska Douglas Douglas Douglas Douglas Douglas

1.3 PURPOSE AND NEED

1.3.1 Purpose

The Project and the Midwest Regional Rail System are intended “to meet current and future 

regional travel needs through significant improvements to the level and quality of passenger 

rail service,” as defined by the MWRRI in its Midwest Regional Rail System Executive 

Report (MWRRI, September 2004). The Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional 

Passenger Rail System would provide competitive passenger rail transportation between 

Chicago and Omaha to help meet future travel demands in the Study Area. The Project would 

create a competitive passenger rail transportation alternative to the available automobile, bus, 

and air service and would meet needs for more efficient travel between major urban centers 

by:

• Decreasing travel times;

• Increasing frequency of service;

• Improving reliability;

• Providing an efficient transportation option;
Chapter 1, Purpose and Need Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study

October 2012 1-8 Tier 1 Service Level EIS

• Providing amenities to improve passenger ride quality and comfort; and

• Promoting environmental benefits, including reduced air pollutant emissions, 

improved land use options, and fewer adverse impacts on surrounding habitat and 

water resources.

1.3.2 Need

The need for the Project stems from the increasing travel demand resulting from population

growth and changing demographics along the Corridor as well as the need for competitive 

and attractive modes of travel (MWRRI, June 2004). 

1.3.2.1 Travel Demand

Travel demand is the total demand for travel services in the Corridor. Between 2000 and 

2010, the Chicago and Omaha/Council Bluffs metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) have 

seen growth of 3.3 and 20.7 percent, respectively (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). As shown in 

Table 1-2, the combined population in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska has increased by 

14.8 percent between 1970 and 2010 (U.S. Census Bureau, March 27, 1995, and 2010). Not 

only is population increasing in the area, but it is also becoming more urbanized, with 

expanded access to and demands for public transportation (Iowa DOT, December 27, 2010). 

For example, Iowa has historically had a mostly rural population; however, in 2003, that 

trend shifted, and 60 percent of the population is projected to live in urban areas by 2030 

(Iowa DOT, December 27, 2010).

Table 1-2. Population Change

State Total Population Percent Increase 

Between 1970 and 2010 1970 2000 2010

Illinois 11,113,976 12,419,293 12,830,632 15.4

Iowa 2,824,376 2,926,324 3,046,355 7.9

Nebraska 1,483,493 1,711,263 1,826,341 23.1

Total 15,421,845 17,056,880 17,703,328 14.8

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, March 27, 1995, “County Population Census Counts 1900-90,” retrieved on 

December 5, 2011, http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts/index.html.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, Census 2010, Summary File 1, Table P12: SEX BY AGE - Universe: Total 

population, generated by Kelly Farrell using American FactFinder, retrieved on December 19, 2011,

http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html.

The predominant mode of travel in the region is the automobile. Highway access between 

Chicago and Omaha is provided through Interstate 80 (I-80) and Interstate 88 (I-88), portions 

of which are toll road, as well as a number of federal and state highways. Table 1-3 shows 

the total trips estimated by mode within the Corridor for the year 2020.
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Tier 1 Service Level EIS 1-9 October 2012

Table 1-3. Total Trips by Mode for the Year 2020

Mode of Travel Total Tripsa Percent of Total

Automobile 72,883,000 97.7%

Air 1,233,000 1.7%

Bus 359,000 0.4%

Passenger Rail 113,000 0.2%

Total 74,588,000 100%

Source: AECOM Ridership, Diversion, and Modal Split Forecast for 

Year 2020

Note: 

a Excludes short trips of less than 100 miles. 

The population is also aging and is increasingly seeking alternative modes of transportation. 

As shown in Table 1-4, between 2000 and 2010, the population of individuals who are 

65 years of age and over in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska has increased by 7.3, 3.8, and 

6.2 percent, respectively (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 and 2010). Within the Chicago and 

Omaha MSAs, the growth of the population of individuals who are 65 years of age and over, 

a population segment who tend to rely more on public transportation, is 8.2 and 25.9 percent 

higher, respectively, in 2010 compared to 2000 (Iowa DOT, 2012b; Iowa DOT, 

December 27, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 and 2010). 

Table 1-4. Population 65 Years of Age and Over

State

Total Population 65 Years of Age and Over

(Percentage of Total Population) Percent Increase 

Between 2000 and 2010

2000 2010

Illinois 1,500,025 (12.1) 1,609,213 (12.5) 7.3

Iowa 436,213 (14.9) 452,888 (14.9) 3.8

Nebraska 232,195 (13.6) 246,677 (13.5) 6.2

Total 2,168,433 (12.7) 2,308,778 (13.0) 6.5

Chicago MSA 998,464 (10.9) 1,079,893 (11.4) 8.2

Omaha MSA 76,345 (10.6) 96,098 (11.1) 25.9

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, Census 2010, Summary File 1, Table P12: SEX BY AGE - Universe: Total 

population, generated by Kelly Farrell using American FactFinder, retrieved on December 19, 2011,

http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html.

1.3.2.2 Competitive and Attractive Travel Modes

Introducing intercity passenger rail service connecting major urban centers in the Corridor, 

which are the proposed station stops, would provide a competitive modal option for travel in 

the Corridor. The travelling public selects travel modes based on a combination of trip time, 

cost, and convenience. As shown in Table 1-3, approximately 98 percent of travel between 

city pairs in the Study Area is estimated to occur by automobile, with air, bus, and passenger 

rail travel making up the remainder.
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Intercity passenger rail service would provide an option to highway and air travel between 

major urban centers in the face of a growing and aging population and increasing congestion

on Midwest highways and at Midwest airports. For example, highway vehicle miles traveled 

in Iowa have increased 37 percent since 1990, and I-80 in Chicago, Des Moines, and Omaha 

currently experience peak-period congestion and capacity issues. Chicago O’Hare 

International Airport is the second busiest airport in the nation (Iowa DOT, 2012b; 

U.S. DOT, January 2012). 

Travel modes available to the public along the Corridor include automobile, air, bus, and 

conventional-speed long-distance passenger rail. The primary automobile travel route is 

Interstate 88 (I-88) between Chicago and East Moline, approximately 160 miles, and 

Interstate 80 (I-80) between East Moline and Downtown Omaha, approximately 313 miles. 

From southern Chicago, the entire route along I-80 from Chicago to Omaha is approximately 

470 miles. A one-way trip by automobile between Chicago and Omaha along either of these 

routes at posted interstate speeds would take about 8 hours during off-peak hours. Using the 

current IRS standard of $0.555 per mile, the cost of driving round-trip between Omaha and 

Chicago with one day of parking in either Omaha ($5) or Chicago ($35) is $547.10 and 

$577.10, respectively (FRA and Iowa DOT, 2012). 

I-80 is also a major truck route in the region. Between 2010 and 2030, vehicle miles traveled 

in Iowa on I-80 are expected to increase by more than 65 percent. If no capacity 

improvements are made, nearly 75 percent of I-80 in Iowa would be bordering on unstable 

traffic flow, at or beyond capacity (Iowa DOT, January 24, 2012). In Chicago, Des Moines, 

and Omaha, I-80 currently has peak-period congestion and capacity issues due to a 

volume/service flow ratio2 greater than 0.95 that results in stop-and-go traffic conditions 

(FHWA, November 2010). The remainder of the Corridor is not currently experiencing 

substantial traffic congestion. By 2040, if no capacity improvements are made, the I-80 

corridor between Chicago and Omaha with the exception of rural parts of Illinois will be 

experiencing peak-period congestion issues due to a volume/service flow ratio greater than 

0.95 with stop-and-go traffic conditions (FHWA, November 2010). 

Air service is currently available between major cities in the Study Area. Commercial air 

service is provided in Chicago (Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway 

International Airport), Moline (Quad Cities International Airport), Des Moines (Des Moines 

International Airport), and Omaha (Eppley Airfield). Direct flight service between Chicago

and Omaha is served by American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and 

U.S. Airways. Typical flight times range from 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 

40 minutes. Direct flight service between Chicago and Des Moines is served by American 

Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and U.S. Airways. Typical flight times range 

from 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Direct flight service between Chicago 

and the Quad Cities is also served by American Airlines, United Airlines, and U.S. Airways. 

Typical flight times range from 52 minutes to 56 minutes. There is no direct service between 

 

2 The volume/surface flow ratio represents the relationship between actual traffic volumes and the maximum 

capacity of the roadway. No roadway congestion is present when the volume/surface flow ratio is 0.0.

Roadways are considered congested when the volume/surface flow ratio is between 0.75 and 0.95. A 

roadway with a volume/surface flow ratio of 0.95 to 1.0 has traffic volumes approaching or equal to the 

surface flow is considered to be highly congested, and experiences stop-and-go traffic conditions.
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Tier 1 Service Level EIS 1-11 October 2012

Moline and Omaha or between Des Moines and Omaha; typical connections go through 

Chicago or Minneapolis. Between February 2011 and February 2012, the 17 daily flights 

between Chicago and Omaha were reliable an average of 79 percent of the time, with the 

other 21 percent of flights either delayed 15 minutes or more or cancelled (FRA and Iowa 

DOT, 2012). Tickets purchased with 2 weeks advanced notice typically cost between 

$210 and $1,400 (FRA and Iowa DOT, 2012).

Bus service is provided in a majority of mid-to-large sized cities, with intermittent service in 

smaller towns. Service between Chicago and Omaha, with multiple stops, was provided by 

Greyhound. Typical bus service includes two trips per day: one in the early morning and one 

in the late evening. Typical travel time by bus between Chicago and Omaha ranges from 

9 hours and 15 minutes for “Express” service to 9 hours and 40 minutes for regular service 

(Greyhound, July 2012). On August 15, 2012, Burlington Trailways took over the 

Greyhound routes from Omaha (though Greyhound is still maintaining the terminals), 

including the route from Omaha to Chicago, which features stops in Des Moines, Iowa City, 

Davenport, and Moline. Bus ticket prices vary from $40 to $126 (FRA and Iowa DOT, 

2012).

Megabus.com, a subsidiary of Coach USA, is a low-fare express bus service that recently 

added daily service between Chicago and Omaha with stops in Iowa City and Des Moines. 

Megbus.com provides two round-trips per day: one in the morning and one in the late 

evening. The full one-way trip from Chicago to Omaha takes 8 hours and 50 minutes. In 

addition to low fares, Megabus.com offers competitive amenities including Wi-Fi service, 

power ports at each seat, and on-board restrooms. However, Megabus.com does not always 

provide traditional sheltered station stops. In Chicago, the station stop is located adjacent to 

Union Station. In Omaha, the station stop is adjacent to the parking garage at Crossroads 

Mall (Megabus.com, undated).

Current passenger rail service from Chicago to Omaha is part of Amtrak’s long-distance 

service on the California Zephyr, which does not provide travel times that are competitive 

with other modes in the Study Area. Travel time from Chicago to Omaha on the current 

Amtrak long-distance, conventional-speed, service is approximately 8 hours and 55 minutes

and travel time from Omaha to Chicago is approximately 9 hours and 36 minutes (Amtrak, 

November 7, 2011). Long-distance trains are designed for long-distance passengers and are 

often inconvenient for regional travelers. Tickets purchased with 2 weeks advanced notice 

typically cost $69 to travel from Chicago to Omaha and $108 to travel from Omaha to 

Chicago (FRA and Iowa DOT, 2012). In addition, the arrival and departure times in Omaha 

are late at night or early in the morning, which is not consistent with convenient intercity 

travel. The only major metropolitan community in Iowa that currently has access to 

passenger rail is Council Bluffs via the once-a-day Amtrak California Zephyr (Iowa DOT, 

December 27, 2010).

Inclement winter weather in the Study Area often creates conditions that impact both 

highway and air travel, creating a need for an alternative mode that is less prone to winter

service interruptions. For example, winter storms (storms lasting 4 or more hours with 

snowfall rates of 0.20 inch per hour or more) in Iowa reduce traffic volumes by an average 

of 29 percent (ranging from 16 to 47 percent) depending on total snowfall and wind speeds 

(Knapp, Kroeger, and Giese, February 2000).
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1.4 DECISIONS TO BE MADE

Iowa DOT and FRA must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) due 

to the proposed use of FRA’s High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program funds for the 

Project. “The NEPA process is intended to help public officials make decisions that are based 

on understanding of environmental consequences, and take actions that protect, restore, and 

enhance the environment” (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500.1).

FRA has issued guidance supporting a tiered NEPA approach that includes Tier 1 NEPA 

documents followed by Tier 2 NEPA documents (FRA, August 14, 2009). With a tiered 

approach, the Tier 1 NEPA document evaluates impacts of a broad-scale project with focus 

on more qualitative than quantitative impacts. Following completion of the Tier 1 NEPA 

document and the associated decision document, Tier 2 NEPA documents are developed to 

evaluate quantitatively the environmental impacts within one or more specific sections.

The purpose of this Tier 1 EIS is to provide environmental resource and regulatory agencies,

the public, and decision makers with a full understanding of the service-wide environmental 

impacts of the Project alternatives. Decisions to be made through this Tier 1 EIS process 

include selection of a preferred corridor and identification of communities served by station

stops, frequency of service, speed of service, and plan for potential phased implementation of 

service. Prior to implementation of passenger rail service between Chicago and Omaha, 

Tier 2 NEPA documents will be developed for the sections identified in Chapter 5, Next 

Steps.

1.5 OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

In addition to the Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System 

Planning Study, numerous transportation projects in and near the Study Area are in various 

stages of development. These major transportation projects for passenger rail, commuter rail, 

tollways, and interstate travel are described below. Some of the identified projects are

considered in this Tier 1 EIS as part of the cumulative effects analysis in Section 3.26.

Of the MWRRI corridors identified in Section 1.1, the following are currently funded and 

under development at various stages of planning and implementation:

• Chicago to Detroit (Pontiac), Michigan

• Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri

• St. Louis, Missouri, to Kansas City, Missouri

• Chicago to Moline, Illinois (the Illinois portion of the Chicago to Iowa City 

project)

• Chicago to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Twin Cities, Minnesota, to Duluth, 

Minnesota

Chicago’s Metra has planned improvements to help offset the demand from the increasing 

population in northeast Illinois. Metra’s four primary projects are the following (Commuter 

Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority, 2012):

• Suburban Transit Access Route (STAR Line) – Suburb-to-suburb commuter rail 

service between Joliet, Illinois, and O’Hare International Airport

• SouthEast Service (SES) – Commuter service in south Suburban Cook and Will 

counties
Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study Chapter 1, Purpose and Need

Tier 1 Service Level EIS 1-13 October 2012

• Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW) Line – Expansion of service to eastern 

McHenry County and the addition of express and reverse-commute service to 

northwest Cook County

• Union Pacific West (UP-W) Line – Capacity, speed, and reliability improvements 

for Cook, DuPage and Kane counties

In addition to the aforementioned projects, Metra has initiated an Environmental Assessment 

and design of an extension of the BNSF Railway (BNSF) line from Aurora to Oswego, 

Illinois.

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has two capital programs. Move Illinois is a 

$12 billion program to improve mobility, relieve congestion, reduce pollution, create jobs,

and link economies in the Midwest (Illinois Tollway, 2012). This program includes 

improvements to existing tollways as well as the development of new tollways. The second 

capital program is the Congestion-Relief Program that was initiated in 2005 with $5.8 billion 

to reduce travel times, rebuild and restore the existing system, and the recently constructed

south extension of I-355 into Will County (Illinois Tollway, 2012).

Both Illinois DOT and Iowa DOT have numerous localized interstate improvement projects. 

Some of the larger projects near the Study Area include:

• Illiana Expressway (Illinois) – A proposed project south of Joliet, Illinois, that 

would provide a direct connection between I-55 in Illinois and I-65 in Indiana

(Illinois DOT and Indiana DOT, 2012)

• Elgin O’Hare West Bypass Study (Illinois) – A tiered analysis of transportation 

issues west of O’Hare International Airport that has identified a multi-modal 

alternative including a new expressway, arterial, transit, and bicycle/pedestrian

improvements (FHWA, FAA, Illinois DOT, and Illinois State Toll Highway 

Authority, March 2012)

• Council Bluffs Interstate System (CBIS) Improvements Project (Iowa) – A multiphased project focused on improving I-80, Interstate 29 (I-29), and Interstate 480 

(I-480) within the Omaha/Council Bluffs metropolitan area to improve mobility, 

reduce congestion and crashes, and add capacity (Iowa DOT, 2012a)
Chapter 1, Purpose and Need Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study

October 2012 1-14 Tier 1 Service Level EIS

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